Water resistant protective garment for fire fighters

ABSTRACT

A protective garment of the type typically worn by fire fighters with improved water resistance is disclosed. In particular, the present invention is directed to an outer shell material for protective garments that is made from a fire resistant material coated with a durable water resistant coating. The durable water resistant coating is applied to the outer shell in a manner so that the coating will not degrade when exposed to normal wear and tear and even after the garment has been laundered repeatedly. Protective garments constructed in the past typically lost most of their water repellency after being laundered as little as five cycles. It has been discovered that water resistant coatings applied according to the process of the present invention, on the other hand, can survive at least 30 laundry cycles, and in many applications at least 50 laundry cycles without significantly degrading.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a Continuation In Part application of U.S.Ser. No. 09/016,097 filed Jan. 30, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to protective garmentssuch as the type worn by fire fighters. More particularly, the presentinvention is directed to a protective garment having a water resistantouter shell. In particular, an outer shell made according to the presentinvention has proven to be able to retain its primary water resistantproperties even after undergoing 30 laundry cycles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Protective garments worn by fire fighters are designed to performseveral functions. Of these, protection from heat and flame are perhapsthe most important characteristics of the garments. In addition toproviding protection from heat and flame, the garments, however, shouldbe as light as possible, should provide some breathability and shouldencumber the wearer as little as possible.

[0004] Conventional fire fighter garments are generally constructedhaving a number of discrete layers. Typically, these layers include anouter shell, a moisture barrier layer, a thermal barrier layer, and aninner lining. The layers are generally made from appropriatethermally-resistant materials to provide protection against heat andflame.

[0005] In the past, one difficulty that has been encountered indesigning protective garments to be worn by fire fighters is to preventthe garments from absorbing and retaining moisture. For instance,protective garments worn by fire fighters usually become wet during usedue to external exposure to extinguishing water or rain. Also, firefighter garments can become wet due to the absorption of perspirationgiven off by the wearer. Unfortunately, when the protective garmentabsorbs moisture, the characteristics and properties of the garment canbe adversely affected. For example, when retaining moisture, theprotective garment can become significantly heavier.

[0006] Besides increasing in weight, the presence of moisture within aprotective garment also adversely affects the thermal properties of thegarment making the garment less effective in shielding its wearer fromthermal heat. In particular, since water is a much better heat conductorthan air, the rate of heat transfer through the garment increases. Also,it has been discovered that as water heats up in a protective garment,the water can turn to steam under exposure to heat and actually burn aperson wearing the garment.

[0007] Ultimately, when protective garments as described above becomewet or soaked with water or other fluids, the garments become hot anduncomfortable to work in due to the increased weight and due to theincreased rate of heat transfer through the garment. As a consequence, awearer can only spend a limited amount of time working or performingtasks in the garment due to the possibility of heat stress.

[0008] In the past, in order to prevent water from being absorbed byprotective garments worn by firemen, the garments have been treated witha water resistant composition. The water resistant treatments applied toconventionally made protective garments, however, have not proven to bedurable and have been found to become ineffective after the garment hasbeen placed in use for a period of time. In particular, it has beendiscovered that conventionally applied water resistant treatments becomesignificantly degraded when the protective garment is washed.Specifically, it has been found that the water resistant treatmentsbegin to degrade only after five (5) laundry cycles and typically losemost of their effectiveness after ten (10) laundry cycles.

[0009] As such, a need currently exists for an improved water resistantfabric and protective garment to be worn by fire fighters. Moreparticularly, a need exists for a method of applying a water resistanttreatment to a protective garment that will not degrade over a period oftime and that can withstand normal laundering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoingdisadvantages, and others of prior art constructions and methods.

[0011] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide animproved protective garment suitable for use by a fire fighter.

[0012] It is another object of the present invention is to provide aprotective fabric for making garments that has been treated with adurable water resistant treatment.

[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide aprotective fabric having a water resistant treatment that can withstandnormal laundering.

[0014] It is another object of the present invention to provide aprotective garment for fire fighters that contains a durable waterresistant treatment applied to an exterior shell that allows the garmentto maintain a spray rating of at least 70 even after 30 laundry cycles.

[0015] These and other objects of the present invention are achieved byproviding a fabric for constructing a protective garment suitable foruse by a fire fighter. The protective garment includes an inner liningconfigured to cover a predetermined portion of a wearer's body. Theinner lining is positioned so as to be placed adjacent to the wearer'sbody during use. An outer shell made from the above fabric covers theinner lining and is made from a fire resistant material.

[0016] In accordance with the present invention, a durable waterresistant treatment is incorporated into the outer shell. The durablewater resistant treatment is affixed to the outer shell such that theouter shell maintains a spray rating of at least 70 even after 30laundry cycles, and, in some applications, maintains a spray rating ofat least 70 even after 50 laundry cycles. In an alternative preferredembodiment of the present invention, the outer shell is constructed soas to maintain a spray rating of at least 80 after 20 laundry cycles.

[0017] Besides maintaining a high spray rating, an outer shellconstructed in accordance with the present invention also maintains verygood water absorption ratings and dynamic water absorption ratings afterbeing laundered. For instance, after five laundry cycles, the outershell has been found to maintain a water absorption rating of less thanabout 8%, particularly less than about 6%, and in a preferred embodimentless than about 4%. The outer shell can have a dynamic water absorptionrating of less than about 15% after ten laundry cycles, particularlyless than about 12% after ten laundry cycles, and more particularly lessthan about 10% after ten laundry cycles. After twenty laundry cycles,the outer shell maintains a dynamic water absorption rating of less thanabout 18%, more particularly less about 15%, and preferably less thanabout 12%.

[0018] In one embodiment, the outer shell can be made from a wovenfabric, such as having a plain, twill or rip stop weave. The materialused to make the outer shell can be an aramid polymer or can be amixture of an aramid polymer and polybenzimidazole. The woven fabricused to make the outer shell can have a weight of from about 5.5 ouncesper square yard to about 8 ounces per square yard, and particularly at aweight of about 7.5 ounces per square yard. Further, a thermal barrierlayer can be positioned between the outer shell and the inner lining.

[0019] The durable water resistant treatment applied to the outer shellcan contain a fluorocarbon polymer. The water resistant treatment can beapplied to the outer shell as a solution and then later cured or driedby heating the outer shell fabric.

[0020] These and other objects of the present invention are alsoachieved by providing a process for producing a water resistant fabricparticularly well adapted for use as an exterior covering for a firefighters protective garment. The process includes the steps of providinga fire resistant material. For instance, the fire resistant material canbe a woven fabric made from a fire resistant polymer, such as an aramidpolymer. In one embodiment, the fire resistant material is scoured, suchas by being exposed to an alkaline solution. After scouring, thematerial is dried.

[0021] Once dried, a durable water resistant treatment, such as afluorocarbon polymer solution, is then applied to at least one side ofthe fire resistant material. Once the water resistant treatment isapplied to the material, the material is heated until the treatment isdried and cured. In particular, according to the present invention, thedurable water resistant treatment is affixed to the fire resistantmaterial such that the material maintains a spray rating of at least 70even after 30 laundry cycles.

[0022] Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention arediscussed in greater detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention,including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the art, isset forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification,including reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0024]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a protectivegarment made according to the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the garment illustrated inFIG. 1; and

[0026] FIGS. 3A-3F are diagrammatical views of illustrative examples ofspray ratings for a standardized fabric spray test.

[0027] Repeat use of reference characters in the present specificationand drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features orelements of the invention.

DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDIZED PROCEDURES

[0028] The following definitions and procedures are offered in order tobetter describe and quantify the performance of protective garments andfabrics made according to the present invention in comparison to priorart constructions.

[0029] Spray Test

[0030] As used herein, a fabric spray rating refers to a rating a fabricor a material receives according to AATCC SPRAY TEST METHOD 22-1996. Ingeneral, a spray test measures the resistance of a material to wettingby water.

[0031] According to the present invention, the following is theprocedure used to determine the spray rating of a material.

[0032] 1. An 7″×7″ sample of the material to be tested is firstconditioned at 65 plus or minus 2% relative humidity and at 70 plus orminus 2° F. for a minimum of four hours prior to testing.

[0033] 2. The fabric sample is fastened securely on a 6″ metal hoop sothat the fabric is wrinkle free. The hoop is supported on a tester'sstand so that the fabric is facing up. Twills, gabardines, piques orsimilar fabrics of ribbed construction are positioned on the stand sothat the ribs are diagonal to the flow of water running off the fabric.A funnel attached to a nozzle for holding water is placed 6″ above thecenter of the fabric.

[0034] 3. 250 milliliters of water at 80 plus or minus 2° F. are pouredfrom a cup or other container into the funnel, allowing the water tospray onto the fabric.

[0035] 4. Once the water has run through the funnel, one edge of thehoop is held and the opposite edge is firmly rapped once against a solidobject with the fabric facing the object. The hoop is then rotated 180°and it is rapped once more at the point previously held.

[0036] 5. The wetted or spotted fabric sample is then compared with thestandards shown in FIGS. 3A-3F. The fabric is assigned a spray ratingthat corresponds to the nearest standard. As shown on FIGS. 3A-3F, thefabric can be rated from 0 to 100 wherein 0 indicates that the entirefabric is wetted with the water, while a rating of 100 indicates thatnone of the fabric was wetted by the water.

[0037] Water Repellency Test

[0038] The following standardized water repellency test determines amaterial's resistance to wetting by aqueous liquids. In general, dropsof a water-alcohol mixture of varying surface tensions are placed on thesurface of the material and the extent of surface wetting is determinedvisually. The higher the rating a material receives is an indication ofthe material's resistance to staining by water-based substances. Thecomposition of standard test liquids is as follows: TABLE 1 StandardTest Liquids Water Repellency Composition Rating Number Isopropanol, %Distilled Water, % 1 2 98 2 5 95 3 10 90 4 20 80 5 30 70 6 40 60 7 50 508 60 40

[0039] The water repellency procedure is as follows:

[0040] 1. A 2″×8″ sample of material is first conditioned at 65 plus orminus 2% relative humidity and at 70 plus or minus 2° F. for a minimumof four hours. The fabric is placed horizontally face up on whiteblotting paper.

[0041] 2. Beginning with test liquid number 1, one drop of the liquid isplaced at three locations on the material. Each drop placed on thematerial should be 2″ apart.

[0042] 3. The material is observed for 10 seconds from an approximate45° angle.

[0043] 4. If two of the three drops have not wet the fabric or do notshow leaking into the fabric, drops of test liquid number 2 are placedon an adjacent site and step number 3 is repeated.

[0044] 5. This procedure is continued until 2 of the 3 drops have wet orshow wicking into the fabric. The water repellency rating is the highestnumbered liquid for which 2 of the three drops do not wet or wick intothe fabric.

[0045] Oil Repellency Test

[0046] The following oil repellency test determines how well finishedfabrics resist oily stains and wetting by organic liquids. In this test,drops of eight liquid hydrocarbons of various surface tensions areplaced on the surface of the material and the extent of surface wettingis determined visually. The standard test liquids used are as follows:TABLE 2 Oil Repellency Standard Test Liquids Hydrocarbon Rating NumberRefined Mineral Oil 1 Refined Mineral 2 Oil/n-Hexadecane 65/35% byvolume at 21° C. n-Hexadecane 3 n-Tetradecane 4 n-Dodecane 5 n-Decane 6n-Octane 7 n-Heptane 8

[0047] 1. A 2″×8″ sample of material is conditioned at 65 plus or minus2% relative humidity and at 70 plus or minus 2° F. for a minimum of fourhours before testing. The fabric is placed in a horizontal position faceup on white blotting paper.

[0048] 2. Beginning with liquid number 1, drops approximately 5milliliters in diameter or 0.05 microliters in volume are placed on thetest sample in several locations.

[0049] 3. The drops are observed for 30 seconds from an approximate 450angle. Wetting of the fabric is normally shown by darkening at theliquid/fabric interface. On black or dark fabrics, wetting can bedetected by a loss of sparkle within the drop.

[0050] 4. If liquid number 1 does not penetrate or wet the fabric orshow wicking around the drops, drops of liquid number 2 are placed onadjacent portions of the fabric and observed for 30 seconds.

[0051] 5. This procedure is continued until the fabric shows wettingunder or around the drops of test liquid within 30 seconds. A sample'sAATCC oil repellency rating is the number of the highest numbered testliquid that will not wet the fabric or show wicking within 30 seconds.

[0052] Laundering Test

[0053] Laundering is preferably performed in a KENMORE automatic washer,followed by drying in a KENMORE automatic dryer. The followinglaundering test is used to determine the fabric's ability to withstandlaundering. Typically, after laundering, the fabric is then subjected tothe above-described spray test, water repellency test, and oilrepellency test.

[0054] 1. 8″×10″ test specimens are combined with load fabrics (hemmedpieces of cotton sheeting or 50:50 fabric sheets having a size of36″×36″) to give a total dry load of 4 pounds.

[0055] 2. The dials on the washer are set as follows: Water Level HighWash Cycle Normal, 12 minutes Temperature Warm Wash, 105° F.; Cold Rinse

[0056] The test pieces and dummy load are placed in the washer and themachine is started. One ounce of TIDE (Proctor & Gamble) detergent isadded while the washer is filling with soft water. If the water hardnessis greater than 5 ppm, CALGON water softener (Nalco) in the amountspecified by the manufacturer is added to soften the water.

[0057] 3. After the washing is complete, the wet fabric including thedummy load is placed in the automatic dryer. The dryer temperature dialis set to the proper point under high heat to give a maximum venttemperature of from about 155° F. to about 160° F. The time dial is setfor “Normal Cycle” for 45 minutes. The machine is started and drying isallowed to continue until the cycle is complete. The above representsone laundry cycle.

[0058] 4. The fabrics are then rewashed and redried until 10 cycles havebeen completed. Optionally, the test fabrics can be pressed with a handiron, or the equivalent, at 280° F. to about 320° F. for 30 seconds oneach side with the face side pressed last. The fabrics are thenconditioned before testing for water repellency, oil repellency, orspray rating. As used herein, water repellency, oil repellency and sprayratings are all determined without ironing the fabric after beinglaundered, unless otherwise denoted.

[0059] Water Absorption Test

[0060] The following water absorption test is for determining theresistance to water absorption of a fabric or material. The test isbased upon NFPA 1971, 6-26. In particular, the water absorption test isconducted according to the above-identified test method after the fabricor material has been subjected to five laundry cycles in accordance withNFPA 1971, 6-1.2.

[0061] According to the present invention, the following is theprocedure used to determine the water absorption rating of a material.

[0062] 1. Three 8″×8″ samples of the material to be tested are subjectedto five laundry cycles in accordance with NFPA 1971, 6-1.2. Test methodNFPA 1972, 6-1.2 is substantially similar to the laundering testdescribed above. In this test, however, the specimens are conditioned inan atmosphere of 70 plus or minus 2° F. and 65 plus or minus 2% relativehumidity before and after being washed. Further, the machine settingsand parameters are as follows: water level normal wash cyclenormal/cotton sturdy wash temperature 140 + or −5° F. drying cycletumble/cotton sturdy detergent 66 + or −1 g of 1993 AATCC standardReference Detergent

[0063] 2. Each sample is securely mounted, with the coated side of thematerial up, to embroidery hoops with sufficient tension to ensure auniformly smooth surface. The hoop is supported on a tester's stand. Thematerial is positioned so that the direction of the flow of water downthe sample shall coincide with the warpwise direction of the sample asplaced on the stand. A funnel attached to a nozzle for holding water isplaced 24″ above the center of the material. The plane of the surface ofthe sample is placed at a 45° angle with the horizontal.

[0064] 3. 500 ml of water at a temperature of 80 + or −2° F. are pouredquickly into the funnel and allowed to spray onto the specimen.

[0065] 4. As rapidly as possible, the sample is removed from the hoopsand placed between two sheets of blotting paper on a flat horizontalsurface. A metal roller approximately 4½″ long and weighing 2¼ pounds isrolled quickly forward and back one time over the paper withoutapplication of any pressure other than the weight of the roller.

[0066] 5. A square having dimensions of 4″×4″ is cut out of the centerof the sample and weighed to the nearest 0.05 grams. Not more than 30seconds shall elapse between the time the water has ceased flowingthrough the spray nozzle and the start of the weighing.

[0067] 6. The same 4″×4″ square sample is then left in a conditioningroom until it has dried and reached moisture equilibrium with thesurrounding atmosphere. The sample is then weighed again.

[0068] 7. The water absorbed shall be calculated as follows:${{water}\quad {absorbtion}},{{percent} = {\frac{W - O}{O} \times 100}}$

[0069] herein W is the weight of the wet sample and O is the weight ofthe dried sample. The water absorption rating of the sample is theaverage of the results obtained from the three specimens tested.

[0070] Dynamic Water Absorption Test

[0071] The following test also measures the resistance of materials towetting by water. It is particularly suitable for measuring thewater-repellent efficacy of finishes applied to fabrics, because thetest subjects the treated fabrics to dynamic conditions similar to thoseoften encountered during actual use. The test conforms to AATCC TestMethod No. 70-1997.

[0072] According to the present invention, the following is theprocedure used to determine the dynamic water absorption rating of amaterial.

[0073] 1. During the test, two specimen sets are tested. Each specimenset consists of five 8″×8″ pieces of the material. For each piece thatis cut, the corner yarns are removed and, if necessary, a drop of liquidlatex or rubber cement is placed at the corners to prevent raveling.Prior to testing, each piece of material is conditioned at 65 + or −2%relative humidity and at 70+ or −2° F. for a minimum of four hours.Blotting paper to be used later is also conditioned.

[0074] 2. The five pieces of each specimen set are rolled together andweighed to the nearest 0.1 gram.

[0075] 3. Two liters of distilled water at 80+ or −2° F. is poured intothe tumble jar of a dynamic absorption tester. The dynamic absorptiontester should consist of a motor driven, 6 liter cylindrical orhexagonal-shaped jar approximately 6″ in diameter and 12″ in length,mounted to rotate end over end at 55+ or −2 rpm with a constanttangential velocity. The jar may be of glass, corrosion resistant metal,or chemical stoneware.

[0076] 4. Both specimen sets are placed into the jar and the jar isrotated in the tester for 20 minutes.

[0077] 5. A piece of one specimen set is then immediately passed througha ringer at a rate of 1″ per second with the edge of the piece parallelto the rolls. The piece is sandwiched between two pieces of unusedblotter paper and passed through the ringer again. The piece is leftsandwiched between the wet blotters. The process is then repeated forthe remaining four pieces of the specimen set. The blotters are removedand the five pieces are rolled together, put in a tared plasticcontainer or gallon-sized zippered plastic bag and the wet specimen setis weighed to the nearest 0.1 gram. The mass of the wet specimen setshould not be more than twice its dry mass.

[0078] 6. Step number five is repeated for the second specimen set.

[0079] 7. The dynamic water absorption for each specimen set iscalculated to the nearest 0.1% using the following equation:

WA=(W−C)/C×100

[0080] where

[0081] WA=water absorbed, percent

[0082] W=wet specimen weight, g

[0083] C=conditioned specimen weight, g.

[0084] 8. The dynamic water absorption of the material is determined byaveraging together the water absorbed by each of the two specimen sets.

[0085] 9. According to the present invention, the dynamic waterabsorption rating of the material can be determined after laundering thesamples in accordance with NFPA 1971, 6-1.2. For instance, the samplescan be tested after 10 laundry cycles and after 20 laundry cycles todetermine the durability of the water resistant coating.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0086] It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art thatthe present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only,and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the presentinvention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplaryconstruction.

[0087] In general, the present invention is directed to a fabric and aprotective garment for fire fighters that has improved water resistantproperties. In particular, the present invention is directed to a firefighters garment having an outer shell fabric that has been treated witha durable water resistant composition. The water resistant treatmentprevents water and moisture from being absorbed by the garment. Incomparison to prior art constructions, the water resistant treatment asapplied according to the process of the present invention is much moredurable in that the treatment will not significantly degrade or wear offthe garment when exposed to normal wear and tear. In particular, it hasbeen discovered that water resistant treatments applied according to thepresent invention can withstand at least 30 laundry cycles withoutlosing a substantial amount of effectiveness.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of an improved protectivegarment generally 10 constructed in accordance with the presentinvention is illustrated. Garment 10 includes a relatively tough outershell 12 having a liner assembly 14 located therein. Outer shell 12 andliner assembly 14 together function to protect a wearer from heat andflame such as may be encountered during fire fighting activities.

[0089] In the illustrated embodiment, liner assembly 14 is constructedas a separate unit that may be removed from outer shell 12. A zipper 16is provided for removably securing liner assembly 14 to outer shell 12.It should be appreciated, however, that other suitable means ofattachment, including a more permanent type of attachment such asstitches, may also be used between liner assembly 14 and outer shell 12.

[0090] The construction of protective garment 10 is more particularlyillustrated in FIG. 2. As shown, liner assembly 14 includes a pluralityof material layers quilted together. The outermost layers, i.e. lininglayers 20 and 22, are connected together about their respectiveperipheries to form an inner cavity. A thermal barrier layer 24 and amoisture barrier layer 26 are located within the inner cavity, as shown.Typically, lining layer 20 will be adjacent the wearers body during use,whereas lining layer 22 will be adjacent outer shell 12.

[0091] Thermal barrier layer 24, can be made from various materials. Forinstance, an aramid felt, such as a felt produced from NOMEX fibersobtained from DuPont can be used. The felt functions as an insulator toinhibit transfer of heat from the ambient environment to the wearer.

[0092] Moisture barrier 26 is preferably a suitable polymeric membranethat is impermeable to liquid water but is permeable to water vapor.Moisture barrier layer 26 is designed to prevent water contacting theexterior surface of garment 10 from reaching the wearer while at thesame time permitting the escape of perspiration from the wearer.

[0093] Outer shell 12, which can be positioned loosely adjacent to linerassembly 14, includes a woven fabric 28 treated with a durable waterresistant composition 30 in accordance with the present invention. Ingeneral, woven fabric 28 should be made from a mechanical resistant,flame resistant, and thermal resistant material. For instance, wovenfabric 28 can be made from aromatic polyamide polymers, such as aramidfibers. For example, KEVLAR para-aramid fibers, NOMEX meta-aramidfibers, and mixtures of KEVLAR fibers and NOMEX fibers commerciallyavailable from DuPont are particularly well suited for use inconstructing woven fabric 28. Besides KEVLAR fibers and NOMEX fibers,other fibers that may be used to produce the woven fabric includemelamine fibers, such as BASOFIL fibers commercially available fromBASF, poly(p-phenylene-2,6-bezobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers commerciallyavaliable as ZYLON fibers from Toyobo Co., Ltd. or P-84 aramid fibersalso available from Lenzing. It should be understood, however, that anysuitable fire resistant fiber may be used to construct the fabric of thepresent invention.

[0094] In one embodiment, the yarns used to make woven fabric 28 can bemade from a mixture of aramid polymer fibers, such as KEVLAR or NOMEXfibers, and polybenzimidazole (PBI) fibers. In one preferred embodimentof the present invention, woven fabric 28 is made from a 60/40 blend ofKEVLAR para-aramid fibers and PBI fibers.

[0095] The yarns used to produce woven fabric 28 can be assembled invarious different constructions and is generally not critical. Forinstance, woven fabric 28 can have a twill weave, a plain weave or anyother suitable type of weave. In one preferred embodiment, woven fabric28 has a rip stop weave. In general, fabrics having a tighter weave willgenerally have better spray ratings.

[0096] The weight of woven fabric 28 generally can vary from about 5.5ounces per square yard to about 8 ounces per square yard. Preferably,the weight of woven fabric is from about 6 ounces per square yard toabout 7.5 ounces per square yard.

[0097] In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2,woven fabric 28 is treated with a durable water resistant composition30. When applied according to the process of the present invention, ithas been discovered that water resistant treatment 30 is much moredurable than many prior art constructions. Thus, garments made accordingto the present invention can be routinely laundered and used for anextended period of time without losing their ability to repel water.As.described above, should a protective garment absorb water, thegarment becomes much heavier and the thermal properties of the garmentbecome adversely affected.

[0098] Besides making protective garment 10 impermeable to water,durable water resistant treatment 30 is also preferably resistant to oiland organic solvents, is not flammable, and is abrasion resistant. Inone preferred embodiment of the present invention, durable waterresistant treatment 30 is made from a solution containing a fluorocarbonpolymer that is applied to woven fabric 28. For example, durable waterresistant composition 30 can be made from TEFLON polymers which arecommercially available from DuPont. Fluorocarbon polymer solutionscontaining TEFLON polymers are commercially available from numeroussources.

[0099] In order to produce a liquid resistant fabric in accordance withthe present invention, first, a woven fabric is constructed or obtainedthat is suitable for use as an outer shell material in a protectivegarment for fire fighters. As described above, the fabric should be madefrom flame resistant polymers or other suitable materials.

[0100] Prior to applying a durable water resistant treatment, the fabriccan be first scoured, although scouring may not be necessary for allapplications. When scoured, the material can be scoured with an alkalinesolution.

[0101] After being scoured, the fabric is then put on a tenter frame,dried and heat set. Specifically, it has been discovered by the presentinventors that it is important that the fabric be substantially dry andfree of moisture prior to being treated with the durable water resistantcomposition. For instance, after scouring, the fabric should be dried sothat the moisture level is substantially equivalent to the naturalmoisture level of the fibers used to make the fabric. For instance, formost fibers, the moisture level should be less than about 10%, andparticularly less than about 7%.

[0102] After the fabric has been dried and heat set, a durable waterresistant composition according to the present invention is applied toat least one side of the fabric. Although the composition can be sprayedon the fabric or printed on the fabric, preferably the fabric is dippedinto a bath containing the durable water resistant treatment in solutionform.

[0103] As stated above, the durable water resistant composition, in oneembodiment, can be a solution containing a fluorocarbon polymer. Thefluorocarbon polymer can be combined in the solution with water, adrying agent such as an alcohol, and an emulsifier. The amount of thewater-resistant composition applied to the fabric will depend upon theparticular formulation and the particular application.

[0104] After the durable water resistant treatment is applied to thefabric, the fabric is then heated to a temperature sufficient for thecoating to dry and/or cure. Once the durable water resistant treatmentis cured and affixed to the woven fabric, the fabric can then be used inconstructing protective garments in accordance with the presentinvention.

[0105] It has been discovered that the above-described process securelyaffixes the water resistant treatment to the fabric such that thetreatment becomes much more durable than prior art constructions.

[0106] By applying water resistant treatments according to the processof the present invention, it has been discovered that the treatments canwithstand numerous laundry cycles. For example, in one embodiment, theouter garment of the present invention has shown to exhibit a sprayrating of at least 80 after 20 laundry cycles. More particularly, evenafter 30 laundry cycles it has been discovered that fabrics madeaccording to the present invention have a spray rating of at least 70and in some applications at least 80, illustrating that the waterresistant treatment does not degrade and does not lose itseffectiveness. Further, after undergoing thirty (30) laundry cycles,fabrics made according to the present invention have also been found toretain a water repellency rating of at least 4 and an oil repellencyrating of at least 3.

[0107] Outer garments made according to the present invention have alsodemonstrated superior water absorption and dynamic water absorptionratings. For instance, garments made according to the present inventioncan have a water absorption rating of less than about 8% after fivelaundry cycles, particularly less than about 6% after five laundrycycles and more particularly less than about 4% after five laundrycycles. After ten laundry cycles, garments made according to the presentinvention can have a dynamic water absorption rating of less than about15%, particularly less than about 12%, and preferably less than about10%. The dynamic water absorption rating of garments made according tothe present invention after twenty laundry cycles, on the other hand, ispreferably less than about 18%, particularly less than about 15%, andmore particularly less than about 12%.

[0108] The present invention may be better understood with reference tothe following examples.

EXAMPLE NO. 1

[0109] The following tests were performed in order to demonstrate thesuperiority in performance of fabrics made according to the presentinvention in comparison to conventionally made fabrics.

[0110] A woven fabric suitable for use as an outer shell material for afire fighter's protective garment was coated with a durable waterresistant composition according to the above-described process of thepresent invention. Specifically, the fabric that was treated had thefollowing characteristics and properties: Material: 60%/40% intimateblend of KEVIAR aramid polymer fibers and PBI fibers Denier: 1.5 Count:44 yarns/inch Pick: 39 yarns/inch Weave: Rip stop Weight: 7.5 oz/sq.yard

[0111] After the above material was scoured, dried and heat set, adurable water resistant composition was applied to the fabric. Thedurable water resistant composition was an aqueous solution containing afluorocarbon polymer, an emulsifier, and an alcohol.

[0112] The above-treated fabric was then tested for water repellency,oil repellency, and spray tested initially and after 10, 20, 30, 40 and50 laundry cycles. All the tests were conducted according to theabove-described procedures. The sample was tested both before and afterbeing pressed with a hand held iron. The following results wereobtained: TABLE 3 Water Repellency, Oil Repellency and Spray TestResults of the Fabric Made According to the Present Invention BeforePressing After Pressing Launderings Water Oil Spray Water Oil SprayInitial 6 5 100 — — — 10 6 5 80 6 5 80 20 6 5 70 6 5 80 30 4-5 3-4 70 64 70-80 40 4-5 3-4 70 6 4 70-80 50 4-5 3-4 70 6 4 70

[0113] Commercially available fabrics designed to be used as outer shellmaterials for protective garments were also similarly tested after 10and 30 laundry cycles. Of particular importance, the commercial fabricstested had similar weave characteristics to the above-described fabric.Specifically, one of the products tested was NATURAL PBI obtained fromSouthern Mills and the other fabric tested was PBI SOFT HAND obtainedfrom Dominion Industrial Textiles. The following results were obtained:TABLE 4 Water Repellency, Oil Repellency, and Spray Test Results ofNATURAL PBI Fabric Obtained from Southern Mills Before Pressing AfterPressing Launderings Water Oil Spray Water Oil Spray Initial 6 5 100 — —— 10 3 0 50 4 0 50 30 2 0 0 2 0 50

[0114] TABLE 5 Water Repellency, Oil Repellency, and Spray Test Resultsof PBI SOFT HAND Fabric Obtained from Dominion Industrial TextilesBefore Pressing After Pressing Launderings Water Oil Spray Water OilSpray Initial 6 5 100 — — — 10 1-2 0 50 3 0 50 30 0 0 0 0 0  0

[0115] As shown above, the current commercially available fabrics losthalf of their water resistancy only after 10 laundry cycles. After 30laundry cycles, the fabrics completely lost their water repellency.

[0116] In comparison, the fabric made according to the present inventionmaintained a spray rating of at least 70 after 30 laundry cycles andeven after 50 laundry cycles. As shown above, the fabric made accordingto the process of the present invention also had much better waterrepellency ratings and oil repellency ratings after being laundered. Itis not believed that prior to the present invention an outer shellmaterial was made that contained a water resistant treatment that couldmaintain a spray rating of at least 70 after 30 laundry cycles.

EXAMPLE NO. 2

[0117] A woven fabric similar to the one described in Example No. 1above was coated with a water resistant composition as described inExample 1. In this example, however, the composition applied to thefabric did not contain an emulsifier but contained more fluorocarbonpolymer.

[0118] The treated fabric was tested for water repellency, oilrepellency and spray tested initially and after 10, 20 and 30 laundrycycles. All the tests were conducted according to the proceduresdescribed above. A sample was tested both before and after being pressedwith a hand held iron. The following results were obtained: TABLE 6Water Repellency, Oil Repellency and Spray Test Results of a Fabric MadeAccording to the Present Invention Before Pressing After PressingLaunderings water oil spray water oil spray Initial 6 6 100  — — — 10 65 90 6 5 100 20 6 5 80-90 6 6 100 30 5-6 4-5 80 6 5 100

[0119] As shown above, the treated fabric produced according to thisexample performed exceptionally well. In particular, the fabric had aspray rating of at least 80 after 20 laundry cycles, and a spray ratingof 80 even after 30 laundry cycles. Further, the fabric was found wellsuited to repelling water and oil, having a water repellency rating ofat least 5 and an oil repellency rating of at least 4 after 30 laundrycycles. Even better results were obtained after pressing.

EXAMPLE NO. 3

[0120] The following tests were performed in order to compare theperformance of a fabric made according to the present invention incomparison to commercially available fabrics with respect to waterabsorption.

[0121] A woven fabric similar to the one described in Example No. 1above was coated with a water resistant composition as described inExample No. 1. The composition contained a fluorocarbon polymer,isopropanol, acetic acid and water. The flurocarbon polymer used was adispersion of perfluroalkyl and polyisocyanate polymers.

[0122] The treated fabric was tested for water absorbtion initially andafter five laundry cycles. All the tests were conducted according to theprocedures described above.

[0123] Besides a fabric made in accordance with the present invention,commercially avaliable fabrics were also tested. Specifically, thecommercially avaliable fabrics tested included STANDARD PBI GOLDobtained from Southern Mills, NOMEX OMEGA obtained from SpringsIndustries, and ADVANCE fabric also obtained from Southern Mills. Thefollowing results were obtained: TABLE 7 Water Absorption ResultsInitial Water After Five Absorbtion Laundry Cycles Sample Rating (%) (%)No. 1 0.55 2.09 STANDARD PBI 0.77 9.84 GOLD NOMEX OMEGA 1.01 16.59ADVANCE 0.49 12.69

[0124] As shown above, the treated fabric produced according to thepresent invention (designated Sample No. 1 above) outperformed thecommercially avaliable fabrics. In particular, the results aboveindicate that fabrics made according to the present invention have waterabsorption characteristics that are more durable than the commericallyavaliable products.

EXAMPLE NO. 4

[0125] The following tests were performed in order to compare thedynamic water absorption characteristics of a fabric made according tothe present invention in comparison to commercially avaliable fabrics.

[0126] The treated fabric described in Example No. 3 above was testedfor dynamic water absorption according to the tests described in thespecification. Specifically, the sample was tested initially, after tenlaundry cycles, and after twenty laundry cycles. STANDARD PBI GOLDfabric and ADVANCE fabric obtained from Southern Mills were also tested.The following results were obtained: TABLE 8 Dynamic Water AbsorptionResults Initial After Dynamic Twenty Water After Ten Laundry AbsorptionLaundry Cycles Sample Rating (%) Cycles (%) (%) No. 1 8.3 7.0 10.5STANDARD 10.8 22.8 37.1 PBI GOLD ADVANCE 6.8 20.8 22.1

[0127] As shown above, the sample made according to the presentinvention (designated Sample No. 1 above) had better dynamic waterabsorption characteristics than the commercially avaliable fabrics.

EXAMPLE NO. 5

[0128] The woven treated fabric described in Example No. 3 was onceagain tested for water absorption. In this example, two other fabricswere coated as described in Example No. 3 and also tested. The other twofabrics coated according to the present invention had the followingcharacteristics: Sample No. 2 Material: 60%/40% intimate blend of KEVLARaramid polymer fibers and PBI fibers Count: 59 yarns/inch Pick: 46yarns/inch Weave: Rip stop Weight: 7.4 oz/sg. yard Sample No. 3Material: NOMEX Z-200/OMEGA aramid polymer fibers Count: 41 yarns/inchPick: 39 yarns/inch Weave: Rip stop Weight: 7.75 oz/sq. yard

[0129] Sample No. 3 above is a commercially available fabric marketedunder the name OMEGA by Springs Industries.

[0130] Besides testing the above treated fabrics for water absorption,various commerically avaliable fabrics were also similarly tested. Inparticular, OMEGA fabric without being treated in accordance with thepresent invention was tested for water absorption along with STANDARDPBI GOLD fabric, TAN ADVANCE fabric, BLACK ADVANCE fabric, and TAN NOMEXfabric, all obtained from Southern Mills. The following results wereobtained: TABLE 9 Water Absorption Results Initial Water After FiveAbsorption Laundry Cycles Sample Rating (%) (%) No. 1 0.55 2.07 No. 22.07 2.52 No. 3 1.53 2.38 OMEGA (untreated) 1.01 16.59 STANDARD PBI GOLD0.77 9.84 TAN ADVANCE 0.49 12.69 BLACK ADVANCE 0;84 47.40 TAN NOMEX 1.3716.94

[0131] As shown above, all of the fabrics made according to the presentinvention outperformed the other commercially avaliable fabrics.

[0132] These and other modifications and variations to the presentinvention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art,without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention,which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. Inaddition, it should be understood that aspects of the variousembodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore,those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoingdescription is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit theinvention so further described in such appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective garment suitable for use by a firefighter, said protective garment comprising: an inner lining configuredto cover a predetermined portion of a wearer's body, said inner liningbeing positioned so as to be adjacent said wearer's body during use; andan outer shell covering said inner lining, said outer shell being madefrom a fire resistant material, said outer shell being impregnated witha durable water resistant treatment, said durable water resistanttreatment being incorporated into said outer shell such that said outershell maintains a spray rating of at least 80 after being laundered 20laundry cycles and then pressed and maintains a water absorption ratingof at least 8% after five laundry cycles.
 2. A protective garment asdefined in claim 1, wherein said durable water resistant treatmentcomprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
 3. A protective garment as defined inclaim 1, wherein said outer shell maintains a water absorption rating ofat least 6% after five laundry cycles.
 4. A protective garment asdefined in claim 1, wherein said durable water resistant treatment isincorporated into said outer shell such that said outer shell maintainsa water absorption rating of at least 4% after five laundry cycles.
 5. Aprotective garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer shell is awoven fabric comprising polybenzimidazole and an aromatic polyamidepolymer.
 6. A protective garment as defined in claim 1, wherein saidouter shell is made from an aramid polymer.
 7. A protective garment asdefined in claim 1, wherein said outer shell also maintains a dynamicwater absorption rating of at least 18% after twenty laundry cycles. 8.A protective garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said outer shellweighs from about 6 ounces per square yard to about 10 ounces per squareyard.
 9. A protective garment as defined in claim 1, further comprisinga thermal barrier layer positioned between said inner lining and saidouter shell.
 10. A protective garment suitable for use by a firefighter, said protective garment comprising: an inner lining configuredto cover a predetermined portion of a wearer's body, said inner liningbeing positioned so as to be adjacent said wearer's body during use; anouter shell covering said inner lining, said outer shell comprising awoven fabric made from fire resistant yarns; a thermal barrier layerpositioned between said inner lining and said outer shell; and a durablewater resistant treatment impregnated into said outer shell, saiddurable water resistant treatment comprising a fluorocarbon polymer,said durable water resistant treatment being incorporated into saidouter shell such that said outer shell maintains a water absorptionrating of at least 8% after five laundry cycles and a dynamic waterabsorption rating of at least 18% after twenty laundry cycles.
 11. Aprotective garment as defined in claim 10, wherein said durable waterresistant treatment is incorporated into said outer shell such that saidouter shell maintains a water absorption rating of at least 4% afterfive laundry cycles and a dynamic water absorption rating of at least12% after twenty laundry cycles.
 12. A protective garment as defined inclaim 10, wherein said durable water resistant treatment is incorporatedinto said outer shell such that said outer shell also maintains a sprayrating of at least 80 after twenty laundry cycles.
 13. A water and fireresistant fabric particularly well suited for producing protectivegarments for use by a fire fighter, said water resistant fabriccomprising: a woven fabric substrate, said woven fabric substrate beingmade from a fire resistant material; and a durable water resistanttreatment impregnated into said fabric substrate, said durable waterresistant treatment being incorporated into said fabric substrate suchthat said fabric substrate maintains a spray rating of at least 80 after20 laundry cycles and maintains a dynamic water absorption rating of atleast 15% after ten laundry cycles.
 14. A water and fire resistantfabric as defined in claim 13, wherein said durable water resistanttreatment comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
 15. A water and fireresistant fabric as defined in claim 13, wherein said fire resistantmaterial is made from a polymeric material comprising an aramid polymer.16. A water and fire resistant fabric as defined in claim 15, whereinsaid polymeric material used to make said fire resistant materialfurther comprises polybenzimidazole.
 17. A water and fire resistantfabric as defined in claim 13, wherein said fabric substrate alsomaintains a water absorbtion rating of at least 6% after five laundrycycles.
 18. A process for producing a water resistant fabricparticularly adapted for use as an exterior covering for a fire fightersprotective garment, said process comprising the steps of: providing afire resistant material, said fire resistant material comprising a wovenfabric, said fire resistant material being substantially free ofmoisture; applying a durable water resistant treatment to said fireresistant material; and thereafter heating said fire resistant materialso as to affix said durable water resistant treatment to said material,said durable water resistant treatment being affixed to said fireresistant material such that said fire resistant material maintains awater absorption rating of at least 6% after five laundry cycles and adynamic water absorption rating of at least 12% after ten laundrycycles.
 19. A process as defined in claim 18, wherein said fireresistant material is made from yarns comprised of an aramid polymer.20. A process as defined in claim 18, wherein said fire resistantmaterial is made from yarns comprising a mixture of aramid polymerfibers and polybenzimidazole fibers.
 21. A process as defined in claim18, wherein said durable water resistant treatment comprises afluorocarbon polymer.
 22. A process as defined in claim 18, furthercomprising the steps of: scouring said fire resistant material prior toapplying said durable water resistant treatment; and drying said scouredfire resistant material such that said fire resistant material issubstantially free of moisture.
 23. A process as defined in claim 18,wherein said durable water resistant treatment is affixed to said fireresistant material so that said fire resistant material also maintains aspray rating of at least 80 after twenty laundry cycles.
 24. A processas defined in claim 18, wherein said durable water resistant treatmentthat is applied to said fire resistant material comprises an aqueoussolution containing a fluorocarbon polymer and an alcohol.
 25. Aprotective garment suitable for use by a firefighter, said protectivegarment comprising: an inner lining configured to cover a predeterminedportion of the wearer's body, said inner lining being positioned so asto be adjacent said wearer's body during use; and an outer shellcovering said inner lining, said outer shell being made from a fireresistant material, said outer shell being impregnated with a durablewater resistant treatment, said durable water resistant treatment beingincorporated into said outer shell such that said outer shell maintainsa spray rating of at least 80 after 20 laundry cycles, maintains a waterabsorption rating of at least 4% after five laundry cycles and maintainsa dynamic water absorption rating of at least 12% after twenty laundrycycles.
 26. A protective garment as defined in claim 25, wherein saiddurable water resistant treatment comprises a fluorocarbon polymer andwherein said outer shell comprises a woven fabric.
 27. A protectivegarment as defined in claim 25, wherein said outer shell furthermaintains a dynamic water absorption rating of at least 10% after tenlaundry cycles.